Raid on the Temple of Hephaestus
}} The Raid on the Temple of Hephaestus occurred on Falgorn Island shortly after the assassination of Distreyd Thanadar XI in 1000 AE. The successor, Distreyd Thanadar XII, sent a small army of Chaos Dwarves and other members of the Clergy of Mardük led by Abbot Toshiro Hakunetsu to raid the Temple of Hephaestus. After a brutal battle, the Clergy of Hephaestus was wiped out from Yamato in a single strike with the exception of the sole survivor Schuldich Cedheros who fled the carnage, and Distreyd XII's grip over Falgorn grew tighter. As a result of this victory Distreyd would form an alliance with Shogun Masamori Hyuga, helping the latter in the Unification of Yamato. Background :See: Assassination of Distreyd Thanadar XI The Clergy of Hephaestus, an elven order dedicated to the worship of the god Hephaestus, had lived in a remote corner of Falgorn Island in Yamato for centuries. After High Cleric Niswath Dorlian had received a prophetic vision from his god of the dark days to come, he began forging the twin blades Dawn and Dusk which were blessed by Hephaestus and Cardia and would be destined to combat the spreading darkness. At the time of the blades' forging, Distreyd Thanadar XII became the new High Cleric of Mardük after he had successfully assassinated his father Distreyd Thanadar XI who had been the previous holder of the title. Sensing the power of the godblades and wishing to consolidate his rule, Distreyd XII organized a raid on the Temple of Hephaestus to wipe out a clergy which could threaten his plans if left unchecked. Battle Distreyd appointed Abbot Toshiro Hakunetsu as the leader of an army of Chaos Dwarves and clerics of Mardük. The army raided the Temple of Hephaestus and killed any worshipper of Hephaestus they came across. The battle was short but brutal, the elves not being prepared for such a sudden, large-scale attack by ferocious opponents. Niswath Dorlian and his fellow clerics gave their lives to stall the attackers long enough so that the last of their order, Schuldich Cedheros, could flee to safety with Dawn and Dusk and fulfill the mission given by Cardia and Hephaestus to find wielders for the blades. Aftermath :See: Battle of Port Hawke The raid was a success to the Clergy of Mardük who wiped out the Clergy of Hephastus in a single strike. Although they had failed to find the magic swords, Distreyd XII still considered the battle a victory and one step closer to taking over Falgorn Island. Distreyd's growing power would lead him to form an alliance with Shogun Masamori Hyuga, an equally ambitious man, and help him in the Unification of Yamato by taking over Port Hawke, the last independent and powerful city on Falgorn. As a result of the raid and the loss of worshippers, the Clergy of Hephaestus was left crippled, its legacy being mere moss-filled ruins in the years to come although the blades Dawn and Dusk would play a role in the future conflicts of the world as they did eventually find their way to their intended wielders who would help bring the clergy to life once again years later. See also *Clergy of Hephaestus *Temple of Hephaestus *Unification of Yamato Temple Category:Third Age Temple Category:Yamato